Watch St. Louis grow in front of your eyes

It's history in the making. Or, at least, it's Google the one making it.

Earlier this week, Google released a new tool, a time-lapse, to get a visual look at the changing scope of the world over the past three decades. The time-lapse runs between 1984 and 2016 and offers a chance to look at any location available via Google Maps.

Locally, some of the most noticeable changes come with St. Charles.

St. Charles in 1993. ( Photo: Google Earth Engine )
(Photo: Custom)

Compare that to its current growth.

St. Charles in 2016. (Photo: Google Earth Engine)
(Photo: Custom)

And in St. Louis city, the westward expansion of those formerly in the city or the Metro East becomes physically more noticeable.

St. Louis in 2008. ( Photo: Google Earth Engine )
(Photo: Custom)

St. Louis in 2016. (Photo: Google Earth Engine)
(Photo: Custom)

Users are able to choose their time-lapse speed depending on their own taste.

You can either search for your own location or choose from one of 33 various spots around the globe. Included in Google's default locations are Miami, Brisbane, Aus., Alberta, Can., the Dead Sea and Saudi Arabia.

Note: The time-lapse is designed for use on desktop browsers for the time being. Mobile users can follow along on their devices, but Google suggests using a desktop computer to fully use the new feature.